Lahat ng Kabanata ng Sold For A Night, Bound For A Lifetime : Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 5

Kayla's POV- The silence of my tiny apartment was louder than Sarah’s shouting had been. I sat on the edge of my bed, the air thick with the smell of old noddles and the cold, lingering scent of anxiety. My phone sat on the floor, its screen dark, but in my mind, I could still see the countdown clock ticking down the hours until my mother would be discharged into the harsh reality of the city streets.I stood up, pacing the three steps from my bed to the kitchen, my legs trembling. I pulled open my junk drawer, the place where I kept the "emergency" cash, though it hadn’t been an emergency since three months ago. I emptied the contents: A few crumpled single dollar bills, A handful of coins, And a shop slip for a necklace I’d already sold to cover last month’s rent. The total was less than twenty dollars. It was an insult.I let out a dry, laugh that quickly turned into a sob. I looked around the room, desperate for something else to sell off. My laptop? It was outdated and slow

Kayla's POV- *The next morning*The first rays of sunlight were filtering through the heavy curtains when I finally stirred. Every muscle in my body felt as if it had been put through a grinder; my thighs were numb, aching with a dull, persistent ache that made even the smallest movement a challenge. I sat up slowly, wincing as the soreness was noticeable I slid out of the bed, my legs trembling so badly I nearly fell. I walked toward the bathroom, my movement awkward and unsteady. Once inside, I locked the door and leaned against the cold tiles, letting out a broken sob. I turned on the tap splashing cold water over my face and washing away the physical traces of the night, trying desperately to scrub away the feeling of last night .I took a deep breath, forcing myself to pull my composure together. Do it for her, I repeated in my mind. Do it for Mom.I dressed quickly in my crumpled clothes, my hands shaking as I buttoned my shirt. On the nightstand, he had left a thick, neat sta